Designer Q & A - Chip & Pepper

This week's Designer Q & A is with Chip Foster - Founder (with his twin Pepper) of Chip & Pepper.

1) Why you think after 200 years jeans are still one of the most popular items of clothing?
Cause there is nothing else to wear

2) Last time I counted there were over 200 brands of premium denim jeans, what makes your jeans stand out from the rest? do
Who taught you had to count? There are over 2000! Chip + Pepper are part of the original 5.

3) Who do you imagine is a typical customer?
Someone with money in their wallet.

4) Where do you get your inspiration from?
Trips to Canada. Hiking, hunting, drinking beer and lake water, being out in the woods, eating freezer dried eggs. Just going back to the basics where everything is pure and fresh. I'm addicted to fresh.

5) Which style and wash of your jeans are flying out of the shops the quickest at the moment?
Our women's skinny jean SLIDER (see above) and our newest skinny Nikky Martin in Almond Wash is being requested by every store and boutique

6) Are there any essential jeans that everyone should have in their wardrobe?
Chip + Pepper Slider (skinny jean) for women and for men Bush Pilot in Almond Ash

7) What are the first pair of jeans you remember?
Levi 501 that I got at those stores you buy damaged goods. It was called Boo Boos

8) What have been your favourite pair of jeans that you have owned and why?
Chip + Pepper Engineered Selvedge in Edmonton wash. The legs are tapered like a skinny but they don't constrict your package. It's made out of the best denim on the market. Japanese organic denim

9) What have been your favourite pair of jeans that you have produced and why?
Chip + Pepper Engineered Selvedge that have chunky warps and wefts. Beautiful imperfections. They are the perfect skinny jean for men who don't want to look like they are wearing chick jeans. Its great denim and with every wash they look even better. I can wear them to any occasion.

10) How many pairs of jeans do you currently own and which are your favourites?
I own thousands. I have a vintage denim collection that started when I had my vintage shop Golf Punk on Melrose Avenue. The birth place of Chip + Pepper premium denim. I sold it to a friend and it's now Chuck's Vintage. Some of the collection is here at our office for inspirational purposes the other is at my home in Malibu.

11) Are you a "wash your jeans after each wear" person or a "wear your jeans for six months before you wash them" person?
Depends what kind of party I came back from - but usually its 3 months. I can't stand the way they stink after 2 months.

12) Do you own jeans for different occasions (for instance I have work jeans, smart jeans, weekend jeans, holiday jeans, jeans for going to concerts in, jeans for gardening in) if so what have you got?
No, I wear my Engineered Selvedge Edmonton for everything. Hunting, hiking, fishing, partying, working, weddings. I might switch it up to the Bush Pilot Ash Wash. Our sick new wash for fall 09

13) Which is your favourite jeans shop?
Chip + Pepper store in New York. 250 Mulberry (see above).

14) Which celebs are currently wearing your jeans?
Lindsay Lohan, Fergie, Vanessa Hudgens, Rhianna, Zac Efron, Miley Cyrus

15) How important big an effect does it have on your sales when a celeb is seen wearing a pair of your jeans?
Celebrities are a huge influence on fashion. They are like walking advertisements. Most are friends that have good taste.

16) Who is your current favourite denim icon (male & female). I am thinking the person who has the most denim style?
Labourers/workmen. Jeans have been a staple of their uniform for years. Denim with drywall, paint, grease stains, dirt look so rad. Check out our 87 Tom Thomson and you will get the idea.

17) Which person living or dead would you most like to see in a pair of your jeans?
John Wayne. James Dean too. Marilyn Monroe would look amazing in some Olivia's - Elvis would be awesome!

18) What is the worst denim crime?
Having to cut down some really awesome shit from our line because our salesmen thought it was too cool for school.

19) If jeans had not been invented, what would we all be wearing?
Leotards and panties

20) And finally, any predictions for denim in 2009
Denim pants with three legs